5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bills

It makes sense to save both money and the environment by cutting your energy consumption. You can save electricity–and reduce your monthly bills significantly–by following these few simple tips:

Use Energy Saving Light Bulbs

A very effective and cost efficient way to reduce electrical consumption in your home is to use energy saving bulbs. An 18W power saver will produce as much light as a traditional 60W bulb, but using just 18W to do so. The initial investment to replace all of your light bulbs with the more expensive energy saving type is high, but you will quickly recoup your investment because of the dramatic drop you’ll see in your electric bill.

Use Power Strips

Most modern electrical devices such as your Xbox, TV, radio and DVD player consume electricity even when they are switched off because they are in standby mode. If you are budget and environmentally aware, you can save money and stop wasting energy by plugging all of your electrical devices into a power strip. It is then a simple matter to turn off the power strip at night. You’ll be surprised at the savings you will realize from employing this simple energy-saving measure.

Cut Down on Electrical Appliance Use

Unless you have a large family, it can be just as easy, and faster, to wash the dishes by hand. And considering that you live sunny Santa Barbara, you can invest in a simple clothesline and hang your clothes out to dry–they will smell much nicer than they do after being tumble dried. And when you’re cooking, do you really need to use an electric can opener, food processor, juicer, etc. ad infinitum? Couldn’t you just as well accomplish the tasks these appliances perform by hand? It’s also a good idea to use more gas-powered appliances when possible as gas is cheaper than electricity.

Replace Old Appliances

As a general rule, older appliances consume much more electricity than newer ones. Newer appliances have to be made to Energy Star regulations and standards. That means that they use less energy and are more cost effective in terms of energy consumption. It might cost a bit to replace them, but it will only take you a year or two to see a return on your investment.

Turn Down the Heater

If your house has an electric boiler for heating your water, it’s more than likely set unnecessarily high. Some people might enjoy taking a shower in scalding hot water, but the average person has to turn on the cold water when they shower, to avoid scalding themselves. If you want to conserve electricity, turn down the heater until it’s just nicely hot rather than scalding. That way, you won’t have to use the cold water when you shower and you’ll still be able to enjoy a nice hot shower!

By following all or some of the tips above, you can significantly reduce your electric bills and stop wasting energy and money.